Decorative electric light system



June 24, 1969 A. R. LOWE 7 3,452,247

DECORATIVE ELECTRIC LIGHT SYS TEM Filed Match 1, 1967 FIE-.1

I 14 i i i l4 A EB r Y r r J Y 15 a a a a a B United States Patent Oflice 3,452,247 Patented June 24, 1969 3,452,247 DECORATIVE ELECTRIC LIGHT SYSTEM Alan R. Lowe, 30 Station Road, Colwyn Bay, Denbighshire, North Wales Filed Mar. 1, 1967, Ser. No. 619,681 Int. Cl. HOlj 19/78 U.S. Cl. 315-75 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention is concerned with the provision of strings of decorative electric lights, usually of a small character, such as are used at Christmas time for illuminating Christmas trees and as party decorations etc., and known generally as fairy lights.

Hitherto it has been difiicult to provide an arrangement of fairy lights as a long continuous length because the cumulative resistance of the lamps, which are arranged in series, reduces the current and lowers the illumination effect. Nevertheless, the provision of extended lengths of fairy lights is desirable, for example in shop window displays, in the lighting up of large Christmas trees, and for festooning about a large party room, lounge or the-like.

Therefore the object of the present invention is to make possible the meeting of this demand on a relatively cheap basis and in a way which can be carried into effect without the user requiring any special electrical knowledge, and without there being any danger of electric shock or fire.

According to this invention, an arrangement of sets of three wires is provided, each set containing a wire intended for use as a live wire, another wire intended for use as a neutral wire and what is called herein a working wire, filament wire or fairy light wire, the working wire extending from the extremity of the live wire at one end of the set to the extremity of the neutral wire at the other end of the set and carrying a number of lamp holders connected in series therewith. With arrangement comprising a number of these sets connected together end to end, there is at the beginning of each section a full voltage potential so as to give full illumination to all the lamps in the working wire of that set. In other words, all the lamps are divided into groups, each group being in the Working wire of a set, and the groups are arranged in parallel between live and neutral wires running through all the sets. Such an arrangement can be handled conveniently as a prefabricated circuit containing as many end to end sets as is desired.

It is contemplated that the sets could be sold in a predetermined number, with a feed-in plug top at one end of one set and a blanking-off cap at the other end of another set and, if a greater length of lighting is required than is afforded by said number of sets, then additional sets will be bought for insertion amongst those of the initial quantity.

Alternatively, the sets could be sold individually and the buyer take as many as is required for a particular length of lighting, together with a feed-in connection for one end and a blanking-off cap for the other end of the total length.

The three wire arrangement may be built up with the use of a three-core cable, one core being led out of the sheath at spaced intervals for connection to the lamp sockets, or there may be a twin-core cable for the live and neutral wires, around which is wrapped a third wire provided with the lamp sockets for the lamp bulbs, with appropriate connections between the working and the other wires at the respective ends of the set.

The wires may be of any suitable colour or colours to give them a decorative appearance.

It is proposed also that the connecting means at the ends of the sets (usually a socket at one end and pins at the other) will be distinguished by suitable colours or, more preferably, by individual shapes, so that in no case will a live wire and a neutral wire be connected together directly.

The invention will now be described further, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawing which illustrates one embodiment thereof and in which:

FIG. 1 shows diagrammatically a fairy light arrangement according to the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic representation of a part of FIG. 1 to a larger scale.

Thus, referring now to the drawing an arrangement of fairy lights comprises a plurality of sets I, II, III, IV of wires joined together in end-to-end disposition so as to define a system of the required length. Each set I, II, III, or IV of wires consists of some three wires 11, 12, 13 which are so joined together that one end of one wire 11 is joined to the opposite end of another wire 12 by the third wire 13, the said third wire 13 carrying the lights (as indicated by the resistance 14) in series therewith. Successive sets I-II, II-III, III-IV are joined together by cooperating male and female formations (not shown) on the two parts.

As can readily be seen from the drawing, by joining successive sets I-II, IIIII, III-IV of wires together the various wires 13 with which the lights 14 are in series are connected together in parallel one with the other and thus the full voltage is connected across each such wire.

An end cap 15 is applied to the remote end of the assembly and lead-in cap 16 to the opposite end, the said lead-in cap serving to couple the said arrangement to a suitable power source as indicated at A and B.

If desired the co-operating male and female parts on successive sets can be so arranged as to complete the electrical circuit of the previously applied set thereof by joining together the wires 11 and 13 (see FIG. 2), or such circuit can be completed by the end cap.

The wires may be decorated by the attachment thereto of I ornamental material either continuously or interruptedly, such material being for example, tinsel, imitation foliage, holly sprays or paper garlands or festoons. They could therefore take the place of the paper streamers used at parties and, being illuminated, they would give a much better effect.

What I claim is:

1. A decorative electric light system comprising a multiplicity of sets of three wires arranged together in end-to-end disposition;

each set containing a live wire, a neutral wire and a working wire;

each working wire of each said set extending from the extremity of the live wire at one end of the set to the extremity of the neutral wire at the other end of the set and electrically connecting the same;

said working wire having a plurality of lamp holders in series therein.

2. A lighting system comprising a plurality of lamp sets, having three wires arranged together in end-to-end relationship, each said lamp set containing a livewire, a neutral wire and a working, or filament, wire having a plurality of lamp holders in series thereon;

the filament, or working, wire of each said set extending from the extremity of said live wire at one end of said set to the extremity of the neutral wire at the other end of said set,

whereby said sets are connectible end-to-end in parallel,

but the lamp holders within each set are connected in series.

3. A lighting system comprising a plurality of lamp sets having three wires arranged together in end-to-end relationship, each lamp set containing a live wire, a filament wire and a neutral wire,

said filament wire extending from the extremity of said neutral wire; at one end of said set, to the extremity of said live wire at the other end of said set, and

ncarrying a number, of lamp holders connected in series.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS JOHN W. HUCKERT, Primary Examiner.

A. J. JAMES, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 

